PETALING JAYA: Young men’s doubles pair Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing must avoid repeating the same mistakes if they hope to go further in the Orleans Masters which begins next Tuesday.
The world No. 27 pair missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the Swiss Open after going down 19-21, 15-21 to Denmark’s Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard in the quarter-finals at St. Jakobshalle in Basel on Friday.
Men’s doubles coach Chang Kim Wai admitted that Aaron-Khai Xing were not at their usual level and things became more difficult after they allowed their opponents to collect points too easily, which in turn boosted the Danish pair’s confidence.
The turning point came in the second game when both pairs were level at 14-14 before Aaron-Khai Xing lost their rhythm, allowing Lundgaard-Vestergaard to surge ahead with five straight points to reach match point.
“Today (Friday) their movement was quite slow, especially Aaron. He looked too cautious and their attacking play was not effective. From there it became difficult for them to win points,” said Kim Wai when contacted.
“The problem was that they could not keep up with the rhythm of the match. The quality of their shots also dropped and there was less pressure on the opponents. When the opponents do not feel any pressure, their confidence keeps growing.”
The defeat also denied them a chance to reach their first semi-final of the year.
Kim Wai hopes the issue can be addressed when Aaron-Khai Xing compete in the Orleans Masters next week, where they will be seeded seventh.
They will also be Malaysia’s sole representatives in the men’s doubles and will face Russia’s Rodion Alimov-Maksim Ogloblin in the opening round.
Overall, their performance at the Swiss Open can still be viewed positively as Aaron-Khai Xing managed to upset two Indonesian pairs earlier in the tournament.
They defeated Rian Ardianto-Rahmat Hidayat in the first round before claiming another notable win over Leo Rolly Carnando-Bagas Maulana in the next round.
